Loose-leaf binder and paper-punch combination



Oct. 3l, 1967 J. w. RYAN 3,349,774

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND PAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION Filed Sept. 9, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet Ayn-W701? JOHN W Pyfl/V Oct. 31, 1967 J. w. RYAN 3,349,774

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER AND PAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledSept. 9, 1966 Avww w? //0 JOHN W PYA'A/ United States Patent Office3,349,774 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 3,349,774 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER ANDPAPER-PUNCH COMBINATION John W. Ryan, Bel Air, Calif., assignor toMattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Califi, a corporation of California Filed Sept.9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,274 1 Ciaim. (Cl. 129-7) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A loose-leaf notebook having hinged plates to whichcomplementary binder ring portions are respectively fixed. The binderring portions are each formed of sheet metal and an integral portion ofeach defines a generally flat plate portion facing and close to thecorresponding plate portion of the other, both being within the ringportion. The plate portions are angled to lie in parallel planesextending axially of but not radial to the hinge axis, the plateportions being respectively provided with male and female paper punchmeans.

The present invention relates to a new and useful looseleaf binder andpaper-punch combination and more particularly to a new and usefulunitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch.

A number of different types of prior art loose-leaf binders andpaper-punch combinations are known. One of these priorart typescomprises a conventional threering binder which is afiixed to a firstplate carrying three, male punching dies. This first plate is hingedlyconnected to a second plate carrying three female punching dies. Thesecond plate is connected to the inside of the back panel of aconventional binding case. While generally satisfactory, this type hasthe disadvantage that the ring binder and all of the pages of materialboundthereby must be swung to an open position and then to a closedposition during each paper punching operation. Another disadvantageresides in the fact that unwanted swinging of the punching mechanism toan open position may take place during use of the notebook in the usualmanner.

Another prior art type includes paper-punch means in combination with amechanism for lifting the punched paper so that the punched holes willbe located opposite the ends of the binder rings. Separate andadditional means are employed to mount the paper punching mechanism inoperative association with the binder rings. While generallysatisfactory, this type has the disadvantage that it includes a numberof working parts increasing the first cost of manufacture ing the devicein proper operating condition.

' In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic ofloose-leaf binders and paper-punch combinations, it is a primary objectof the present invention to providea new and useful unitary loose-leafbinder and papenpunch not subject to the disadvantages enumerated aboveand having a pair of unitary ring and punch members especiallyefficiently, safely and expeditiously.

and increasing the cost of maintain- Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a it paper-punch member are aligned with anintegral paperretaining element and a female paper-punch member.

According to the present invention, a unitary looseleaf binder andpaper-punch combination is provided. The combination includes a pair ofassociated hinge means and a pair of unitary ring and punch membersmounted on the hinge means. One of the unitary ring and punch members ismounted on one of the hinge means and includes paper retainer means anda female paperpunch die means. The other unitary ring and punch memberis mounted on the other hinge means and includes a paper-retainer meansand a male paper-punch die means. The paper-retainer means are alignedso as to form aclosed retainer and the die members are aligned so thatthe male member engages inside the female member when the ring and punchmembers are in their closed positions.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to likeelements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a looseleaf binder andpaper-punch combination of the present invention including a binder casewhich is shown in an open position;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line2--2 of FIG. 1 showing the combination in an open position;

FIGURE 3 is a partial perspective view looking in at the bottom of thedevice shown in FIG. 1 and having parts broken away to show internalconstruction;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the combination in a closed position;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a first stamped blank which may be used tofabricate a first unitary paper-retaining ring and punch member of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the blank of FIG. 5 after ithas been shaped to form the first unitary paper-retaining ring and punchmember;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a second stamped blank whch may be used tofabricate a second unitary paperretaining ring and punch member of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the blank of FIG. 7 after ithas been shaped to form the second unitary paper-retaining ring andpunch member and in cluding a male punching-die; and

FIGURE 9 is a reduced elevational punching-die member of FIG. 8.

Referring again to the drawings, a unitary loose-leaf binder andpaper-punch combination comprising a presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention, generally designated 10, includes a binder case 12 havinga back panel 14 and covers 16, 18 which may be made up in the customaryway.

The back panel 14 includes an inside face 20 to which a unitaryloose-leaf binder and paper-punch means 22 may be affixed by suitablerivet means 24. The unitary. loose-leaf binder and paper-punch means 22,hereinafter sometimes referred simply as binder means 22, com

view of the male prises a hinge means 26 including a pair of hingeplates 28, 30 having inner edges 32 and 34 and outer edges 36 and 38,respectively. The inner edges 32 and 34 are maintained in operativeassociation with each other by a first plurality of tab means 40provided on the edge 32 for engagement with the edge 34 and a secondplurality of tabs 42 provided on the edge 34 for engagement with theedge 32. The plates 28, 30 may be maintained in the substantiallyhorizontal position shown in FIG. 4 or in the over-center position shownin FIG. 2 by a cover plate 44 which is substantially C-shaped in crosssection and which includes a first lip 46 engaged under the edge 38 anda second lip 48 engaged under the edge 36. The cover 44 is provided witha plurality of elongated openings 52 for receiving associated pairs ofunitary ring and punch means 54 mounted on the hinge means 26 in amanner to be hereinafter described.

Each pair of unitary ring and punch means 54 includes a first unitaryring and punch member 56 afiixed to the plate 30 by rivet means 58 and asecond unitary ring and punch member 60 affixed to the plate 28 by arivet means 62.

The first unitary ring and punch member 56 includes an integralpaper-retainer element 64 and a female paperpunch die member 66 and thesecond unitary ring and punch member 60 includes an integralpaper-retainer element 68 and a male paper-punch die member 70. Themembers 56 and 60 are aligned and are mounted on the plates 30 and 28 insuch a manner that each pair of unitary ring and punch means 54 may beswung from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 4wherein the male paper-punch die member 70 engages the femalepaper-punch die member 66 for punching holes in notebook paper (notshown). The ring and punch means 54 may then be swung to their FIG. 2positions so that the paper may be bound by engaging the punched holesover associated paper-retainer elements 64 or 68 and then closing orswinging the means 54 to their FIG. 4 positions.

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. and 6, each member 56 may bemade by any suitable manu facturing process using any suitable materialand is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation,as being made from a stamped metal blank 76 having an elongated,paper-tretainer-element-forming portion 78, a base-forming centralportion 80 and a female paperpunch die-forming portion 82. The blank 76may be provided with a first aperture 84 for receiving the rivet 58 anda second aperture 86 for receiving the male paperpunch member 70. Theportion 80 includes equal and opposite, outwardly-extending wings 88each of which includes a curved edge 90 and a straight edge 92. Eachedge 92 is joined to the portion 82 by a plurality of fillets The blank76 may be shaped to form the member 56 as shown in FIG. 6 by bendingeach member 88 upwardly along an associated fold line 96 after which themember 78 may be rolled by bringing an edge 98 thereof into engagementwith an edge 100 thereof. The member 78 may then be shaped to have asomewhat elliptical cross section after which it is given an arcuateshape, as shown in FIG. 6, to form the paper-retainer element 64. Themember 82 may then be folded upwardly along a fold line 102 after whichthe upper end 104 thereof may be bent slighly inwardly toward thepaper-retaining element 64 along a fold line 106 to form the femalepaper-punch die member 66.

Referring now more in particular to the FIGS. 7-9, the member 60 may bemade from a sheet metal blank 76a which may be identical to the blank 76except that the aperture 86a provided in the member 8211 is of smallerdiameter than the aperture 86 provided in the corresponding member 82.In addition, the blank 76a may be folded in identical manner to thatused for folding the blank 76 to form the member 56 except that themember 82a is bent slightly outwardly from the paper-retaining element68 along an imaginary fold line 106a. Additionally, the aperture 86areceives a shank 108 provided on a punching die 110 having a head 112formed with a spherical radius 114. The diameter of the head 112 ismatched with the diameter of the aperture 86 in the female punching die66 so that the punching head 112 will pass through the aperture 86. Theamount that the member 82a is bent outwardly from its associatedpaper-retainer 68 corresponds to the amount that the member 82 is bentinwardly toward its associated pa er-retainer 64 so that the two partswill mate when the means 54 is closed, as shown in FIG. 4. As will beobvious from FIG. 4, the slight bends at the fold lines 106 and 106apermit opening and closing of the punch members without having thecutting edge of the male punch member engage or hang-up on an edge ofopening 86. The shank 108 is retained in position in the aperture 86a bypeening the end 116 of the shank 108 to form a head 118, as shown inFIGS. 2, 4 and 8. The blank 76a also includes an aperture 84 identicalto that used in a blank 76 for receiving the rivet 62 which attaches themember 60 to its hinge plate 28.

The members 56 and 60 may be attached to their associated hinge plates30, 28 after which the cover member 44 may be snapped into position withthe lips 46, 48 engaging associated edges 38, 36 and with the elongatedopenings 52 admitting associated members 56, 60.

In use, the ring and punch means 54 may be opened to their FIG. 2positions and a sheet of paper inserted between the dies 66 and 70. Themeans 54 may then be closed to their FIG. 4 positions punching thecustomary holes in the paper. The means 54 may then be openedsufiiciently to release the paper which is then drawn upwardly intoengagement with associated paper-retainer elements 64, 68.

While the particular unitary looseleaf binder and paper-punchcombination herein shown and described in detail is fully capable ofattaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations areintended to the details of construction or design herein shown otherthan as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A unitary loose-leaf binder and paper-punch means, comprising:

a pair of hinge plate means pivotal about adjacent edges for swingingpaper-binding means from an open position to a closed position;

first paper-binding means fixed to one of said hinge plate means, saidfirst paper-binder means including a first generally C-shapedpaper-binding portion and a first base portion, integral therewith atone end thereof said first base portion being affixed to said one ofsaid hinge plate means and including a first plate portion having afemale punching-die opening therein;

second paper-binding means fixed to the other of said plate hinge meansin alignment with said first paperbinding means, said secondpaper-binding means including a second generally C-shaped paper-bindingportion adapted to close upon said first paper-binding portion when saidhinge means swings said paperbinding means to said closed position, saidsecond paper-binding means also including a second base portion integraltherewith at one end thereof and affixed to said other hinge platemeans, said second base portion including a second plate portion opposedto said first plate portion and having a male punching-die means fixedthereon in position to penetrate said female punching-die opening whensaid hinge means swings said paper-binding means toward said closedposition, said first and second paper-binding means each being made froma single sheet of stamped metal which is bent and rolled to form saidfirst and second paper-binding portions, said first and second baseportions and said plate poritons respectively,

5 said second plate portion being bent slightly toward 794,994 7/1905Maurer 129-7 I said first paper-binding portion and wherein said 952,4216/1910 Diehl 129- first plate portion is also bent slightly toward said1,997,447 4/1935 Birbaum 129-2 first paper-binding portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 465,258 12/1891 Gildemeyer 129 -7JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

5 FOREIGN PATENTS 385,475 12/ 1932 Great Britain.

